The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-11-10
THE PHONOGRAPH.
How Edison Has Perfected an
Extraordinary Instrument.
A Machine Which Records and
Reproduces Human Speech.

finished phonograph: "You know that
! finished the first phonograph moro
than ten years ago. 1t remained more
or less toy The germ of something
wonderful was perfectly distinct, but
tried tho impossible with it, and when
the electric light business assumed COM
mercial importance, threw everything
overheard for that. Nevertheless, the
phonograph has been moro or less con-
constantly in my mind ever since.
When resting from prolonged work up
on the light, my brain would revert
almost automatically to the old idea.
Since the light has been finished, Ihave
taken up the phonograph, and
after eight months of steady
work, have made it q commercial in
ventlon. My photograph expect to
sec in every business Office. Their opera
tion is simplicity itself, and cannot fail.
The merchant or clerk who wishes to
send letter has only to set the machine
in motion, and to talk in his natural
voice and at the usual rate Of speed into
the receiver. When he has finished, the
sheet, or 'phonogram,' as I call it, is
ready for putting into little box made
on purpose for the mails. We are max
ing the sheets in three sizes---one for
letters of from 800 to 1000 words, an
other size for 1000 words. 1 expect that
an arrangement may be made with the
postoffice authorities enabling the pho
nogram boxes to be sent at the same rate
as a letter.
"The receiver of phonogram will
put it into his apparatus and the mes
sage will be given out more clearly, more
distinctly than the best telephone mes
sage ever sent. The tones of the voice
in the two monographs which l have
finished are so perfectly rendered that
one can distinguish between twenty diff
ferent persons, each one of whom has
said few words. Oae tremendous ad-
vantage is that the letter may be re-
peated thousand times if necessary.
The phonogram does not wear out by
use; moreover, it may be filed away for
a hundred years and be ready the in
slant it is needed If man dictates his
will to the photograph, there will be no
disputing the authenticity of the docu-
mcnt with those who knew the tones of
his voice in life. The cost of making
the phonogram will be scarcely more
than the cost of ordinary letter paper.
The machine will read out the letter or
message at the same speed with which it
was dictated.
81 have experimental with a device
for enabling printers to set typo directly
from the dictation of the phonograph,
and think that it will work to q charm.
1t is so arranged that the printer by
touching lever with his foot all ows
five or ten words of tho phonogram to
be sounded; if he is not satisfied with
the first hearing he can make it repeat
tho same words over aud over again un-
til he has them in type. For busy men
who dictate great deal for the prcss, I
am sure that the phonograph will be a
necessity after very little experience.
'For musicians the phonograph is 60
ing to do wonders, owing to the extreme
chcapncss with which | can duplicate
phonograms and the dclicacy with which
the apparatus gives out all the musical
sounds. In the early phonograph of ten
years ago, which was a very imperfect
and crude affair compared to that OF
to-day, it was always noticed that
musical sounds camc out peculiarly well; :;
the machine would whistle or sing fal
better than it could talk. This pecu-
liarity Of the phonograph remains.
have taken down the music of an or.
chestra, and the result is marvellous
each instrument can be perfectly
distinguished, the strings arc perfectly
distinct, the violins from the ccllos, the
wind instruments and the wood arc por.
fectly heard, and even in tho notes of a
violin the ever-toncs arc distinct to q
delicate ear. 1t is going to work Won
dcrs for the benefit of music-lovers. A
piece for any instrument, for the piano
or for an orchestra, or an act, or the
whole of an opera, musical instruments
and voices, can be given out by the
phonograph with beauty of tone and a
distinctness past belief, and the dupli-
eating apparatus for phonograms is SC
cheap an affair that the price of music
for the phonograph will be scarcely worth
consid ering. As the phonogram will be
practically indistructible by ordinary
use, such music can be played over and
over again.
'My first phonograph, as you remem
Der, consisted simply of a roller carry
ing the foil, and provided with dia
phragm-point properly arranged tc
scrape or indent the foil. The roller
was turned by hand. In the new instru.
ment there is far more complication, but
altogether different results. My pro-
pelling machinery consists of small
electric motor, run by a very few cells.
Strange to say, have found more diff
Guilty in getting motor to suit me than
any other part of the apparatus. tried
various kinds of clock-work and spring
motors, but found them untrustworthy
and noisy. The motors am now max.
ing are absolutely steady and noiseless.
There is no part of the apparatus, the
tools for which l am now making upon
large scale here, which il likely to get
out of order or to work in an uncertain
manner. The two finished phonograph:
are practically cx city what intend to
offer for sale within few mouths"